Men shrug their jackets off, girls take off their earrings, then the fight begins.
Not much has changed in that sense, people who want to fight always make it easier on themselves in terms of maneuverability.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, men would take off their fancy shirt to avoid mussing it up, as well as increase their range of motion.
Considering that the fashion style at that time was highly starched shirts, which looked very cleaned and groom, but were very stiff and restrictive, this was a strategic move.
Those who were more interested in keeping the peace would tell the aggressors to ‘keep your shirt on.’
In that instance, the phrase meant to calm down and hopefully talk things out like gentlemen.
In today’s world ‘keep your shirt on’ still means ‘calm down,’ but is used in a wider variety of situations. Anything from someone getting upset about that jerk who cut him off in traffic, to the continuing traditions of disrobing before a fight, fits the phrase.
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: